AP editor tells staff to stop making fun of CNN

AP editor tells staff to stop making fun of CNN

This screenshot of CNN's website captures the moment when the network incorrectly reported that the US Supreme Court ruled the health care mandate unconstitutional.

The US Supreme Court's health care ruling today has resulted in a major ego competition among political journalists, with CNN and Fox News being viciously ridiculed on the web for getting their facts wrong. But now, the Associated Press seems to be taking pity on CNN, which may be even more embarrassing than getting teased.

Jim Romenesko posted a leaked email on his blog that Associated Press editor David Scott sent to the AP staff. In the email, Scott asks reporters to stop teasing CNN: "Please, immediately, stop taunting on social networks about CNN and others’ SCOTUS ruling mistake and the AP getting it right."

The "taunting" comes after CNN and Fox News incorrectly reported today that the US Supreme Court had ruled President Obama's health care mandate unconstitutional, GlobalPost reported. CNN had reported the misinformation on television, on its website and on Twitter. Eight minutes later, it sent out a correction, but at that point the damage was done.

That message has further intensified the apparent journalism health care competition. A press person from Bloomberg News later sent a terse email to Romenesko, alleging that the AP reporter's email also contained incorrect information: "You reference an email that notes that the AP first reported the decision — by our records, Bloomberg moved the story first at 10:07:31; the AP moved the story at 10:07:55."